A New Wagon

[dom]

I am seriously considering purchasing an old truck. I really like the pre '88 Chevy models. My sights had been set on a '87 Chevy Silverado long bed 2wd, but they are extremely hard to locate in decent condition around here.

I might be settling on this unit.

1984 Scottsdale



The Auto Trader Link

The odometer says 49k on the clock, but I know there is a lot more.

It has two gas tanks, an 8 foot bed, 305 (shet box size) engine.

Think I am going to head up there and check out the unit this week sometime.

I know for a fact I am not going to pay the asking price, but I am willing to pay around 4k if it rides nice and the body is sweet.

Additionally, I will be having them put the vehicle in the air for me so I can shake down the front end and check for any cancer or other surprises underneath.

What do you guys think?

[Ken]

I am seriously considering purchasing an old truck. I really like the pre '88 Chevy models. My sights had been set on a '87 Chevy Silverado long bed 2wd, but they are extremely hard to locate in decent condition around here.

I might be settling on this unit.

1984 Scottsdale



The Auto Trader Link

The odometer says 49k on the clock, but I know there is a lot more.

It has two gas tanks, an 8 foot bed, 305 (shet box size) engine.

Think I am going to head up there and check out the unit this week sometime.

I know for a fact I am not going to pay the asking price, but I am willing to pay around 4k if it rides nice and the body is sweet.

Additionally, I will be having them put the vehicle in the air for me so I can shake down the front end and check for any cancer or other surprises underneath.

What do you guys think?

Strange, the outside looks quite well looked after yet the seats say there's a lot more than 49K miles on that bird and little evidence of care. Check carefully to see if it has just been re-sprayed. Again, although the exterior looks good there is little indication of any care and attention under the hood. Tires look new, I wonder what the wear on the old ones looked like? I would say think and check very carefully before buying, Dom. Give it a very good road test and look carefully at any and all of the service/history documentation. If anything, including mileage looks suspicious I would say walk away.

FWIW.

Ken.

[dom]

Under the hood does look like someone played hell with it. If/when I do go see it I will give it a complete check. It does look like it has been driven a lot, but the body looks super straight in the pictures. I am not really looking into doing a restoration job, just want a truck to drive.

[swamprat]

That's a good looking truck, although I wouldn't pay more than 3.5k myself, due to the lame engine and the age.

It's amazing what trucks will bring for $$$. I looked at some truck trader pub a little while ago and they were asking big money for crap! What the hell is that about?

Good luck with your purchase. If you win the lottery, drop a 454 in the cage!

[Eric]

Main things to check here are:

Body/frame: Is it rust free? These things have girder-like steel frames, so I am betting it's ok in this respect. Usually (unless it sat in a salt bath!), it takes decades for structural rust to become an issue. But check closely, especially areas such as the leaf spring perches in the rear.

Engine/driveline: Don't worry about the computer dreck; you can just disconnect all that shit and "de-smog" it just like that and not have to deal with the balky BS early smog equipment. Main thing is - is the engine tight? Bring a vacuum gauge to check internal condition. If it pulls good, steady vacuum the engine is probably basically sound. Does the tranny engage almost immediately when put into "D," or "R" (any driving range, etc.)? If not, there could be an issue. It should shift through the gears smoothly, with no sensation of slipping. The transmission is a lesser concern than the engine to me, though, because replacing it (if need be) is both cheap and easy. You could pop a new/rebuilt one in there in about an hour with basic hand tools and for about $600.

Really, that's all you need to worry about. This truck is a simple machine and if the basics are ok, then you are ok.

The price mentioned sounds reasonable. And keep in mind you'll pay next to nothing for insurance or property tax because of its age, etc. That can save you a bundle over something newer....

[Eric]

That's a good looking truck, although I wouldn't pay more than 3.5k myself, due to the lame engine and the age.

It's amazing what trucks will bring for $$$. I looked at some truck trader pub a little while ago and they were asking big money for crap! What the hell is that about?

Good luck with your purchase. If you win the lottery, drop a 454 in the cage!

The 305 is not a bad engine; it gets a lot of abuse but it's just a small-bore 350 and so shares all the 350's merits, including abundance of parts availability (everything that fits a 350 fits a 305) as well as reliability and ease of service. The main reason the 305 gets abused is its low stock power output - especially compared with modern V-8s. But this is easily remedied with a few inexpensive bolt-on modifications, such as performance-minded 4 barrel carb on a good intake (such as the Edelbrock Performer), a good exhaust system (the stock systems tended to be hugely restrictive) and so on.

It's no big thing to get these 305s to 200-220 hp, which is plenty sufficient for Dom's intended use. If you need more, just swap in a new cam - no big deal there, either.

PS: The reason trucks hold their value better than cars is they are inherently more useful than cars - especially as they age. The chief attraction of a new car is its newness. But the chief attraction of a truck is the work it can do - and that stays constant as the truck ages. Until it is deteriorated to the point that it can't work anymore, it will always have some value - unlike a shitty old car, which most people have zero interest in owning.

As an example: I paid about $7,000 in 2004 for my '98 Frontier. Today, six years later, the truck is still worth about $4,000. In effect, my cost of ownership (less gas, oil, etc.) has been about $500 annually - or about $40 per month!

[dom]

Good call on the vacuum gauge, I will bring one up there with me. As far as the 305 goes I knows it an engine that pulls pretty decent. My parents used to have one in their '87 blazer. It's just with the easy/popularity/and reputation everyone naturally wants the 350 4 bolt and I am no different. That is what I have in my El Camino and it is just a great engine.

I will be having this truck up in the air before any money even thinks about leaving my pocket. Like you said Eric, I am going to check the leaf spring bolt to the frame areas and also give it a good looking under, along with a front end shake down.

I'm just really hoping it's rust free!

[dom]

This is about my trip down to Danville, VA to check out that unit yesterday. First off the trip was a little over 200 miles and mostly back roads, not too bad though. We left here around 6:30am and got there around 10am after stopping at McD's and having some pancakes that tasted like cardboard (breakfast of champions).

First semi-alert, the vehicle has been pulled to the front of the office. At first I didn't think too much of this, maybe they were trying to be nice and have it ready for my viewing and test driving, but I soon deduced what the real reasoning was and they didn't even know I knew.

Visual imagery: Decent size used car dealership, maybe 50 cars (mostly classics). There was a few make shift garage that popped up on the property, a few for mechanical work and some for painting (it seemed). The spot was right on a pretty decent size main road, Rt. 29. The main office looks kind of like a house and has a nice stoop like sheltered deck.

Anyhow, as I pulled up I saw the truck sitting there and also about five guys sitting on the stoop. I pulled right up in front of the steps and as I hopped out of my 4Runner the country looking, farmer john wearing, country bumpkin acting dudes began to disperse. A faint cloud of light smoke carrying the knock you over strong scented aroma of, yes you guessed it, crack cocaine! I had my wife and kid there and was just thinking to myself, “we’ll it can’t be too bad, this place is right on a main drag.” So, I continued to get out of the car, but was weary of my money I brought for the purchase.

Anyhow, the dude that I had been corresponding with via email for the past two weeks about the truck finally came out to greet me. He was a nice young gentleman, but could have easily moonlighted as a scumbag.

So, I talked to him a bit while reviewing the body and frame of the truck. It was straight and seemly solid. The rest of the truck was hell on wheels. I started it up, after I noticed it had been running and was well warmed up before I got there (this alarmed me). I knew after looking at the engine and seeing all the seeping shet everywhere these guys are masking a shet machine. Of course all the fluids were fresh! Anyhow, they had told some head work had been done recently, I was like how recently? They told me three weeks ago. Total bullshet! Those valve covers, manifolds (intake and exhaust), and heads hadn’t been touched in maybe decades.

Started that bitch up and could smell oil. Not a lot of oil, the kind of oil you smell when someone has installed a decently fresh catalytic converter and warmed it up well enough to burn off some oil in the exhaust before it hits the air. At this point I was positive I was looking at a total shet machine. I was like screw it, I will indulge them and test drive this shet box. The guy that was assisting me rode along while my wife and kid stayed in my truck. I was confident they would be okay back with the crack-heads because by this point a few other customers showed up in the lot.

The truck rode like a shet machine. The steering will was off and straight was actually having the wheel at 2 o’clock. The speedometer was off by about 20 miles an hour at 55, it showed 75mph. The transmission whined like a bitch too! The seat hurt my azz big time too. The guy riding with me told me that older vehicles like this are supposed to make noise like this, LOL. I didn’t want to tell him that I am a gear head and have been a knuckle buster since 13 and actually specialize in freaking early 80s chevys. Man-o-man what a snow job of a riddle this clown was giving me. I not even going to begin on the fact they tried to tell me there was a 5.7 liter installed. Long story short, the power train was already wrecked, it was just looking for a place to crash!

We pulled back up to the lot, I told slice I needed to talk to the wife. He went and said down with the only crack-head still sitting on the stoop. Got the wife and kid out of the car and walked and talked while looking at the other over priced classics and newer cars they had sitting at the lot. I told the wife I could drop at least 2-3k into without blinking. Actually, I think 3k would have more than covered a completely new power train. That would have required a shet load of wrench time for me though.

So, I sent the wife and kid back to the 4Runner and walked up to slice. I said, “would you take 3 for it?” The remaining cracker-head sitting next to him, wearing his famer johns, started to chatter some shet. Then slice was like, we could take a couple hundred off from 5k, but can’t do 3k for the truck. I was like cool! You guys have a nice day and thanks for your time!

I wonder if I should put the name of the place here and a link?

note: these clowns are right down the street from you Eric

[Eric]

Man, nothing like driving hours for that kind of shitwagon, eh?

I'm surprised they didn't snap at your offer, though. Based on your evaluation, that seems like a fair price for what amounts to a serviceable rolling chassis that needs a new drivetrain.

That crap about having it warmed up for you is a huge red flag, too. When that happens to me, I am already 90 percent certain the deal is not gonna happen.

You should have let me know you were coming down!

[dom]

I am surprised they didn't accept the 3k offer either! Even then I would have been extremely scared it wouldn't make it back up to Northern Virginia.

These guys really tried their best to mask some serious drive train problems. The engine was working at about 25% efficiency. I am really amazed they were able to make it run as well as it did.

Well, you know the name of the place because I PM'd you. You can tell your local friends to be weary of these guys.

My ad on craigslist. HERE

[dom]

Listen to this shit.

This truck was singing to me when I drove it. Not only the rear end, but the tranny too!

This is all after weeks of back and forth emails about the truck with a salesman!

Drive 440 miles to see this P.O.S.

All based on lies!

I have all the emails saved too. I was hearing shit like, "this truck could drive 200 miles everyday for a long time," etc..

These people are scam artists and I would steer clear of them!

They updated the post on Auto Trader to say:

"HAS A LIL HUM IN REAR END,NOTHING SERIOUS...JUST PASSING THAT ON...ONLY NEGATIVE THING I CAN SAY ABOUT TRUCK...."

These people are straight up full of shit. The valve covers have not been removed in a long time. Not sure how to do valve workout with out doing that!

"NEW VALVE SEALS "

Zero proof of this:

"RE-BUILT 350"

I was considering letting this go, but now that I am reading the updated post and the price still remaining at a premium, I can't let it go anymore.

Fuck these people!

Shysters Used Cars aka Ricky Carter T/A Wayne's Used Cars

10056 US Hwy 29, Blairs, VA 24527
Contact Stealer at: 1-866-519-1167

The truck


Sorry assholes, I can't let this one go undocumented.

[Eric]

440 miles for that? Damn, man - it takes the proverbial cake.

They have to be supercharged, steroidal assholes to do this to someone who drives that far to come check the truck out.

I will keep my eyes open. Our local place, Autoville, is pretty cool. They have to be. Floyd is a very small town and if they fucked anyone, everyone would know about it! I bought my '98 Frontier from them in 2003 and it was a good deal on a great little truck. No complaints at all.

[dom]

Well.. I just wanted to get that out there. I haven't dealt with this level of BS in a bit. I feel better venting! HA